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I was browsing through LinkedIn today and came across this good article. It resonates with me and I hope you find it interesting and helpful as well!

You hear it all the time: everything boils down to attitude. Whereas it’s true that attitude can have a profound effect on your reality, this doesn’t mean that you ignore what you’re feeling. This is when optimism becomes outright denial…

Gaining self-awareness is one of the most difficult challenges we face as human beings. When are we overreacting? When are we “under-reacting?” When are we in that Goldilocks zone of “just right?” And what do we do when we feel like we’re in the middle of the darker parts of our journey? How do we find our way when it’s nearly impossible to even see the path before us?

A new year signals a new start, and what better time to reassess life and set some resolutions to help you and your loved one live well with dementia in 2017…

1. Ensure your loved one has sorted out their affairs

If they haven’t already started organising things such as setting up Lasting Power of Attorney or ensuring they’ve written a Will, the New Year could be a good excuse to make them sit down and get organised. The sooner it’s done, the better, because if it’s left too late, or until your loved starts to lose their mental capacity, the process can be more complicated.

2. Help them make their bucket list

A bucket list can help your loved one take back control and add some much needed excitement and purpose to life after a dementia diagnosis. It doesn’t have to be filled with crazy stunts or far-flung holidays. It could be something as simple as visiting a particular city in the UK that they’ve never been to, or trying out a hobby that they’ve never done before.

Many family members only see each other during the holidays. As parents and relatives get older, seeing them after one year can bring to light some of the physical and/or mental health changes that have been taking place.

This article comes to us from Unforgettable.org. Check them out for plenty of tips, ideas, and interesting articles related to memory and dementia:

For those living with dementia it is easy to be forgotten.

For the family and professional carers it can seem overwhelming and hopeless.

Spending time with a loved one at Christmas is often the first opportunity family members have to notice symptoms of memory loss. Here’s what to do if you’re worried about someone’s memory.

It may have been a few months since you spent time with family members, but when Christmas comes round, you often find you’re living in each other’s pockets for days (especially if you get stuck indoors with cold, wintry weather and a box of Roses).

So it’s no surprise that it’s often during and after the Christmas break that you may notice changes in a loved one’s memory. Where before they may have seemed quite lucid and able to cope with everyday tasks, suddenly you’re noticing that they’ve deteriorated.

And over the Christmas break, you may find that your normally sharp and ‘with it’ relative seems confused, unsure, withdrawn or even a little depressed, raising concerns that all may not be what it seems.

The Alzheimer’s Society has discovered over half of people with dementia see their family less often during Christmas than they did before they were diagnosed

The song may claim ‘it’s the most wonderful time of the year’, but for many people with Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, it can become the opposite, as Christmas can be very isolating.

That’s what a recent report from the Alzheimer’s Society is hoping to highlight.

They’ve carried out research which has found over half of people affected by dementia find Christmas the most isolating time of the year, with many saying that they actually dread the festive season. Just over half (54%) say the see their friends and family less often over the Christmas period than they did before their diagnosis.

Like this:

Looking for some familiar classics this holiday season? This article comes to us from Unforgettable.org. Check them out for plenty of tips, ideas, and interesting articles related to memory and dementia:

For those living with dementia it is easy to be forgotten.

For the family and professional carers it can seem overwhelming and hopeless.

Settling down on the sofa to watch a TV show is as much a part of the festive season as turkey and mince pies. Here’s our selection of the best shows airing this Christmas that will trigger memories and special moments for someone with dementia

Television can play a useful role at Christmas when you’re caring for someone with dementia. The right shows at the right time can help loved ones to relax, and may even stir good memories and great conversation. But with so many channels and programmes to choose from, simply selecting something what they (and you) might enjoy could take quite some time…So we’ve done the leg work for you! Here’s 12 dementia-friendly dramas, comedies and films which will be screened over Christmas.

If your loved one with dementia lives in a care home you might be wondering whether to bring them home for Christmas, and whether that’s even the best thing for them. Here’s eight questions to ask yourself before making a decision.

You may hate the idea of the person you love spending Christmas in a care home, but although emotions might be running high, it’s important to think carefully and calmly and weigh up all the pros and cons before deciding what to do.

1. How long have they been in the care home and how settled are they?

If your loved one has been in residential care for some time and seems quite content, they may really enjoy a day out, or even an overnight stay. However, if they always seem restless when you visit – perhaps they keep packing their bags or asking ‘when are we going home?’ – taking them out may seem like the ‘right’ thing to do…but may result in them becoming angry and aggressive when they return. If you’re still adamant they should come home with you, then any upsetting behaviour when they return may be a price worth paying… or maybe not.

2. How well do outings generally go?

Be honest: Even if it’s stressful for you, does the person you love seem to enjoy getting out…

Make Christmas Day special for a loved one with dementia

Are you worried that the person you care for will find it difficult to cope on Christmas Day? Find out how to make the big day enjoyable for the whole family.

Whether you’ve got a houseful of guests on Christmas Day, are invited out for lunch, or are celebrating quietly in your own home, here’s how to overcome all the potential pitfalls and ensure events go as smoothly as possible if you have someone with dementia staying with you.

1. Opening presents

It doesn’t matter how old you are, everyone enjoys receiving presents. A person with dementia might not remember what the occasion is, but if you hand them a present with a smile and say ‘Merry Christmas’ they’ll soon get the idea.

Give them time to open it without feeling rushed. Offer help if they need it but don’t try to rush them. If they don’t want to open it yet, that’s fine too. Leave it until later. A person with dementia can become stressed if they feel everyone’s watching them, so keep present-giving calm and casual.

Try not to take it personally if they don’t seem grateful or don’t react in the way they normally would to a generous or thoughtful gift. Remember, they’re doing the best they can and they still love you as much as they always have.

Watch out for tripping hazards. Presents and wrapping paper scattered all over the floor can be dangerous for a person who’s frail and prone to stumbling. Have a recycling bag ready to clear up wrapping paper and make sure gifts are put somewhere safe

If a loved one has dementia you might be worried about how they’ll cope during the festive season. Read our simple guide to help you make Christmas as enjoyable as possible – for everyone.

1. Have a plan

Taking a, ‘let’s see what happens’ approach to the festive season isn’t going to work when you’re caring for someone with dementia. Spontaneous visits can be stressful so make sure to contact anyone who usually drops by (and who your loved one will definitely want to see) and organise dates and times in advance.

2. Trust your instinct

It’s not too late to change a plan you may have agreed to initially but which you’re now worried about. For example, if you’re dreading an overnight stay with Aunty Alice because you know your loved one won’t sleep and could become very unsettled, trust your instinct, confront it now and either cancel the trip or agree to a shorter visit which can be done in a day.

If you’re looking after someone with dementia at Christmas, this last-minute list will ensure you have everything you need to make the festive season go as smoothly as possible.

Let’s face it, most people’s pre-Christmas to-do lists can stretch on a fair bit, from buying presents and food shopping, to decorating and Christmas card-writing. But if you’re also playing host to a loved one with dementia, chances are you’re going to be feeling like that list suddenly got a whole lot longer. Similarly, if you and your loved are heading off to someone else’s house, you want to make sure that you’ve packed all the necessary items they need over the Christmas period.

While there may be a few more things to think about, your best option is to take note of our list of questions and start preparing with suitable products, so that the days before, during and after the Christmas holidays run as smoothly as possible. This could be anything from checking you’ve got enough dementia-appropriate activities to do, to ensuring they’re comfy and warm in their room.

Like this:

The RemoAge project will tackle the challenge of supporting people with dementia and other frail older people to age at home in remote and sparsely populated areas of the northern periphery of Europe. Long distances and limited resources are two challenges to overcome.

Tested and evaluated service packages will meet this challenge. The service packages will include methods to support the elderly with health and social care needs, flexibility to individual needs and an increased level of remote support.

Expected results are improved access to personalized services in direct support in daily life, support to family carers and health personnel, but also increased involvement of the community.

Target groups:

– Frail older people, including people with dementia, in remote communities

– Family carers and family members of the frail older people

– Community members

– Health and social care professionals

The target groups will be involved throughout the project in a participatory process from the identification of needs, the adaptation of services and the evaluation of services. A main focus of the project is to develop and implement person centred services that are by definition services adapted to the individual needs of the frail older person and their family.

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…antipsychotic medication given to elderly people with dementia it should be at the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible time and always after all other avenues have been tried and have failed.

A poignant and important article on the use of antipsychotic medications in treating people with dementia – please read and share!

Scheme for baby visits to the care home in Aarhus has emerged as a ‘resounding success’

Baby Joy! DaneAge believes that the system of visiting babies is “a great idea.” Aarhus Municipality introduced the system a year ago, and now more municipalities will follow suit. Photo Miriam Dalsgaard

There is just something that happens when a baby visits the care home. It creates joy that parents come by with a little optimistic miracle that the elderly may be allowed to hold and interact with.

This is what has happened in Aarhus, and why the municipality started introducing the initiative in all of their care homes a year ago. Aarhus calls the initiative ‘visiting babies’. And the system has emerged as something of a success.

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Nursing Times Learning has launched a new unit on how to tell the difference between dementia, delirium and depression in older people, to ensure they receive the right care.

Dementia, delirium and depression are all serious conditions that are particularly common in older people. Their similar symptoms mean the conditions can go undetected and untreated. However, although they may present in similar ways, there are differences in the treatment and support approaches used for each. It is vital that health and care professionals can identify key risks, signs and symptoms associated with all three conditions so that appropriate support, treatment and management can be given.